Letters Received
by Reallybreakyourleg
Summary: Sequel to "Letters". Harry comes to his own realizations and he and Draco start to write letters to each other. Set during their eighth year of Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything from the Harry Potter universe. JK Rowling and her people do.

Author's note: This is the sequel to "Letters". I suggest you read that fic first, and then this one.

**Letters Received**

"Harry Potter, will you please pay attention!" Hermione ordered.

Harry stopped directing his chess pieces and Ron stopped howling about how one had slashed his face with a wayward arm from another piece. Hermione sat down beside them, a book propped in her lap.

"Close your eyes and focus. Ron, be quiet. Harry has to figure out his life's path."

Ron and Harry exchanged a glance. "Now, Hermione? I don't think..."

"Ron," Hermione glared towards Ron, and then at Harry, who had still not closed his eyes. "Harry is in a new stage of his life. Everything he used to know is gone. Voldemort's dead, and he is no longer in a relationship, so figuring out what he's going to do next is a beneficial step on the road to happiness."

Harry squinched his eyes closed and smiled. Ever since Hermione had gotten the book list for their eighth year at Hogwarts she had been a whirlwind of activity in making sure she, Ron, and Harry were on their way to reaching happiness. The class they would be taking, Proactive Life , was a new class to try to help everyone cope with the aftermath of the war. Hermione was, as usual, determined to excel.

She cleared her throat and began to read from the book. "Relationships are an important foundation piece for a healthy and happy lifestyle. Please review what relationships are important to you, and what relationships are lacking."

Hermione looked up. Harry kept his eyes closed. "Harry!"

He opened his eyes. "What? I thought you wanted me to review my relationships."

Hermione sighed. "Yes, but you should do it out loud. It says in the book to write it down and then share with the class. This promotes bonding and helps understand outside perspectives."

"Oh." Harry closed his eyes again. "Well, I have you all, and the rest of the Weasleys, and Seamus, Dean, Neville, Luna, and Hagrid. I don't feel 'lacking', Hermione."

"But mate," Ron sounded like he had slammed down a chess piece on the table. "You haven't had a girlfriend in ages. I mean, it'd be nice if you pined for my sister forever, but she seems to have moved on already, so..."

Harry didn't know before that moment that it was possible to roll your eyes with your eyes closed, but he managed. "No one's really interested me lately. I don't want to just date around."

"That's good. There are too many crazies after you Harry. It wouldn't be wise." Ron said. Harry doubted that Ron was really over Harry and Ginny's breakup, he sounded too relieved.

"That's exactly right Ron." Hermione sounded pleased. "The book suggests you think over your past relationships and decide what attracted them to you in the first place. That way, you can keep an eye out for your future love."

Ron snorted. "Go on Harry, or she'll never leave us alone."

Harry thought for a moment. "Parvati was first, wasn't she?" Hermione prodded.

"Merlin, she was just wonder-"

"Ron."

"Right, this is about Harry."

Harry thought back. "She was smart, I guess. And she treated me like I was normal."

Hermione was scribbling on something and Harry opened his eyes quickly.

"Wait, are you writing this down?"

"Shhh. Don't worry about it. Close your eyes. Cho's next."

Ron made a noise of appreciation followed by a small _ow_ as Harry closed his eyes again, feeling uncomfortable.

"She was pale. And good at Quidditch. And she always seemed really dignified. At least before she was crying all over the place."

"Hmm. Too bad, that." Ron interjected. "Wait," Air rumpled Harry's hair like Ron was waving his arms in front of him. "What about Fleur?"

"What about Fleur?" Hermione's voice had a steel edge to it.

Ron's voice got less excited and more careful. "Well, Harry had a thing for her, right Harry? I mean, we all-I mean most people had a thing for her. Doesn't she count?"

Hermione sighed. "What do you think, Harry?"

Harry thought back to when he first saw Fleur. "She has pretty hair. It's really pale. And her eyes are nice."

"They are a lovely blue gray, I'll give her that." Hermione murmured, writing away. "I suppose last would be Ginny."

"Her hair was nice. It was soft and got everyone's attention. I like how her face looked too. Er..." Hermione stopped writing.

"What do you mean, how her face looked? When? Harry, mate, I swear to you if you ever-"

"Ron."

"I'm just saying, Hermione, I need a little clarification on how her face looked when."

"I can't believe you just used the word 'clarification'." Harry muttered.

He was rewarded by a light sock in the arm. "Ow."

"Harry, could you try to explain what you meant? Was it her eyes or her freckles? Or was it the shape?"

"I think..." Harry had an image he could almost grasp of a pale, athletic body with light blonde hair and familiar grey eyes. He tried to focus on Ginny. "I think it was the shape. It's narrow. Sharp features. Kind of pointy."

"Excuse me, did you just call my sister pointy? I hope that was supposed to be a compliment."

Harry smiled as he heard another small _ow _from Ron.

"So," Hermione continued, "your future potential romantic prospect would be dignified, smart, would treat you as an equal, and have grey-ish eyes, light blonde hair, and a narrow face." Hermione sounded like she was checking the features off of the list she made.

"Pointy. A pointy face."

"Ron, for goodness sakes- _Oh._" Hermione stopped. There was a definite pause.

"Oh sweet Merlin no." Ron whispered. Harry thought Ron sounded much like he did when they first came across Aragog and his family in Forbidden Forest. Harry was starting to feel panicked and opened his eyes. His friends were staring at him with open mouths.

"What?" He asked, bewildered.

Hermione and Ron exchanged a look and then stared back at Harry. Ron closed his mouth and swallowed. "Nothing, mate. Good luck on finding your future romantic mate person." He leapt up and patted Harry on the shoulder. "I have to go wash...stuff."

Hermione had seemed to regain her senses too and cleared her throat. "Um. Yes. Well. This has been quite enlightening I feel. You just sit here and think long and hard about that description Harry. I'm sure you'll find someone like that soon."

Hermione left the room quickly, leaving Harry alone, staring after them.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The rest of summer passed by quickly and Hermione didn't harass them so much about their life goals and dreams of happiness.

Harry instead had to endure enjoyable times punctuated with his friends acting like they were afraid of and worried for him. He had even tried to explain the whole romantic life partner situation to Mrs. Weasley, who, when he was finished, looked rather watery and said in a shaking voice that with whoever Harry chose she hoped he would find happiness.

It was so peculiar that Harry was happier than ever to be back at Hogwarts. That first day back of their eighth year of Hogwarts Harry received a letter during breakfast in the Great Hall. It read:

Dear Potter,

Hello. This is Draco Malfoy. Don't burn this.

I thought about sending you a letter before, but obviously you were on the run so I couldn't really. You had your obligations, I had mine. I was really quite busy during the war but I was able to think a few things through. First, I'm sorry I was mean to you on the train when we were eleven. I didn't really like your choice of friends, but they seem to care about you or whatever so I forgive you. Also, I have your broom. I might even give it to you sometime, once you apologize. I think that seems like a fair trade, don't you?

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy

Harry stared at the parchment for so long that Ron looked up from his breakfast. "Harry? Mate?"

Harry jerked his head up and stared across the Hall at the Slytherin table. Very few people from the old crowd were there. A lot of Slytherin's did not return for their eighth year. Malfoy sat talking animatedly with Zabini and Goyle. Harry looked away.

He frowned down at the letter. It looked a little rushed and broken up, like Malfoy had tried to get everything down quickly and put it down and wrote more a little at a time.

"Do you have a quill with you Hermione?" He asked.

Hermione dove for her bag. "Here."

"Is everything alright?" Ron asked, shoveling food in his mouth again.

Harry nodded distractedly and began to write on the back of the letter.

Malfoy,

Someone sent me this just now using one of the school owls. Just thought you should know.

Harry Potter

He sent it along with the same owl and held his breath, staring again at the Slytherin table.

The owl landed in front of Malfoy, who grasped the letter and read it. He glanced up and his eyes locked with Harry's. A familiar smirk formed, and Harry looked back down at his breakfast.

Not two minutes later the owl returned.

Dear Potter,

Contrary to the unimaginative conclusion you have come to, I did in fact send you this letter. Thank you for your concern. I eagerly await two apologies now.

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy

Harry was beginning to feel foolish. He looked back towards where Malfoy had been sitting to find him striding away towards the doors. Harry scrambled up, grabbing his bag and dashing toward the retreating blonde figure. "Hey Malfoy! Wait up!"

Malfoy stopped but did not turn around. Harry dashed in front of him. "Hey. Erm..."

He suddenly felt very awkward. Malfoy surveyed him in an almost not cool manner, Harry liked to think. "Yes Potter?"

Harry shifted. "Um, you're right. I'm sorry."

Malfoy's eyebrows rose.

"So, we can have a truce now, right?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed.

"Please?" Harry threw out. It would be nice to not always fight with Malfoy.

"Fine." Malfoy said, and started walking again.

Harry kept pace with him. "So, you were going to write me a letter before?"

"Yes. But then I realized that the letter wouldn't even get to you. It would have been intercepted."

"What were you going to write?"

Malfoy looked amused suddenly. "Nothing of importance."

"Oh."

"Disappointed, Potter?"

"No." Harry said quickly. "I just thought if you were going to write me suddenly it would have been important."

He truly did think that, but Harry realized that Malfoy probably wasn't going to write a soppy letter about how sorry he was for being such a bastard all these years and how he wanted to be best friends from then on.

"I was going to write to tell you how stupid you were."

Harry jerked out of his reverie. "Um. What?"

Malfoy smirked. "You seem surprised. Let me remind you of what you were busy doing while everyone else was fighting or laying low."

His brow crinkled in false concentration. "You: attended a wedding, broke into the Ministry, visited your childhood home, went camping, got yourself captured, then broke into Gringotts, _then _broke into the castle. All to which I say: really Potter? Really?"

None of this, to Harry's surprise, was said with malice or scorn. His voice was almost... "Malfoy, were you worried?"

Malfoy stopped again. He opened his mouth to say something and was interrupted by a rush of people headed to class. Harry lost sight of Malfoy. He had wanted that conversation to have gone better; Malfoy seemed to be more straightforward through letters. He at least kept the insults to a minimum.

And Harry knew that Draco was trying to say he had been worried. He would have denied it quickly if he hadn't been worried about Harry. Or would he have? _I'm over thinking this. _He would write Draco a letter and get to the bottom of this.

Dear Malfoy,

Hello. Thank you for apologizing. You were a prat on the train and when we first met, but that was just your way, so I appreciate the apology. How did you come across my broom? I would like having it back, I thought it was gone forever.

-Harry

Harry frowned down at his letter. Everything he had to say was stupid. He felt stupid. And he felt stupid for worrying about what Draco bloody Malfoy would think of his letter. _I'm just doing this for my broom. _

Harry nodded firmly and sealed up the letter. His broom. That was all. Being cordial to Malfoy would be fine, and he could get back his broom. He needed to stop obsessing over Malfoy. He had done enough of that over the summer, when he testified for Narcissa and Draco to not be sent to Azkaban. Draco's father was not so lucky. Harry clamped down on his rising feelings. He almost felt sad for Malfoy, and worried. Which was ridiculous. Because he wasn't worried about Malfoy at all. Who was worried? Not him.

Harry sent his letter along with Pig, who Ron let him borrow anytime. He was hoping to get a response as soon as possible, so he waited around the Owlery and watched the sun dip lower and lower. Pig came back thirty minutes later, clutching a letter in his talons. Harry eagerly ripped it open and began to read.

Dear Potter,

How did you lose your broom? I would give it back to you now, but I didn't think your weird midget owl could take it. I thought maybe you would like to read this, it's a letter I wrote to you, but I didn't send it of course. But I thought you might like to know what went on during your time away. You remember, when you were off galavanting instead of helping us.

Harry separated the second piece of parchment and read:

Dear Potter,

Where the hell are you, anyway? Your fans are most disappointed that you have not turned up. Longbottom gets his ass handed to him almost every day, and that Creevy kid keeps having to spend long hours with Carrow. The male one. It doesn't bode well. Your little Dumbledore's Army is trying to make a stand it seems, but their numbers are low.

School has taken a most macabre turn. We torture, we learn about torture, we torture some more. Crabbe seems to enjoy it. It's really the only thing he's been good at, ever. Goyle still isn't good at anything except eating. He reminds me of Weasley in that regard. The male one.

In regards to the female one, she and Dean Thomas have struck up quite the romance. I'm sure she'll tell you when she sees you. How she's madly in love with Thomas and can't get enough, and that you all should just stay friends. Or she'll ditch him like she has before and you can live happily ever after and have three kids and name them all after Dumbledore. I hope you don't do that, it'd be horribly cliched. And you've never done the expected before.

About Dumbledore...I take it you know what happened, at least some of it. You were following me around quite a lot. And I don't think it was because you were madly in love with me. I am a Death Eater, and I was trying to kill Dumbledore.

But I couldn't go through with it. Shocker, I failed again. And then Snape stepped in. And he finished the job. And we ran, and you followed us, but didn't reach me in time.

Just put it on my tab.

Malfoy

Harry slumped against the wall until he was sitting on the floor. He and Ginny had broken up after the war, and it had been amicable. It was interesting that Draco had been keeping tabs on that.

And he remembered Neville saying that Crabbe was good at torture, and wondered what Malfoy would do if he knew he shared an opinion with him.

Harry didn't know how he felt about the remorse that seemed to tinge Malfoy's letter. And the honesty. He had known. And at that moment when he was chasing after Snape and Malfoy he had felt a single minded rage that consumed him. But after, when they had escaped, he had wondered if Malfoy would have taken Dumbledore's offer. He had stood there, looking scared and sick and alone, and Harry saw him lower his wand, just a bit. He went back to the first letter.

This is a copy, I have the original. I really feel quite stupid now. I was writing letters to you that I never intended to send. If I had been found out, I would have been tortured more than I already had been. I'm really quite angry with you for all of this.

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy


	3. Chapter 3

_That stupid son of a bitch. _Harry thought almost (but really not at all so be quiet) fondly. Draco Malfoy was still a bastard, a git, and snob. The sooner Harry fully accepted this, the sooner he could stop worrying about him, and thinking about him, and contacting him at all.

He pulled a quill out of his bag and wrote on the back of the letter.

Malfoy,

Just send it along somehow. You are acting immature. I didn't make you write those letters, and I was busy working to defeat Voldemort. I'm sorry I couldn't be at your beck and call during the war. I had my obligations, and you had yours. Let's keep it that way, shall we?

Potter

He sent the letter back with Pig, who was beginning to look fatigued. As soon as the owl disappeared from sight he felt regret.

He wasn't really mad at all. Harry knew that Malfoy just said those things because he was socially stunted and was trying to protect his feelings. _And he's a git_. But Malfoy did seem to be trying to make an effort, and they couldn't get anywhere if Harry snapped back at him every time.

He wished he had gotten back to Hogwarts sooner, but the search for the Horcruxes had taken up a lot of time. He had worried about the Weasley's and even that _prat_, because he had known that Malfoy had failed his mission. He had known what happened to those that disappointed their Dark Lord. And he had taken the Marauder's Map out more times to check Malfoy's location than Ginny's.

Malfoy would have been in more danger at that time. He still should have been more worried about Ginny though... Harry frowned. Why hadn't he been more worried about Ginny? She was capable, and strong, and quick witted, but Harry had still worried about her. He had worried about all of his friends. Malfoy was the one who was always getting into trouble, even with the odds stacked against him. He was always the one trying to rile Harry up. He always looked too delicate to be of any use in a fight. And that hair...

He stared out the window. The evening had grown darker and darker, but the lights from the castle illuminated most of the grounds. Malfoy did have the nicest hair. It was pale and light looking and every time he walked by Harry felt the need to look at it. Malfoy's hair was like Ginny's in that regard.

Harry's eyes widened and a single thought entered his head and swam through his memories.

_Oh_.

That's why. That's why Hermione had said _oh. _And why Ron had spoken with such horror. He had sat with them that one day in summer and described his dream girl in detail. His future romantic prospect was Draco Malfoy.

_That's why_. Harry thought wildly.

All the fighting and the obsessing and the staring and the anger and the remorse and regret and he was so _stupid. _He was in love with a stupid git who hated him but who was trying to make things right and Harry was too stupid to see it.

Never mind that Malfoy hated him. Never mind that Malfoy certainly couldn't be gay, or be in love with him. Never mind that Harry couldn't, and shouldn't care and worry as much as he did all those years about Malfoy's opinion, Malfoy's friends, Malfoy's stupid ferret face-_Oh my god pointy. _

He had said it too. He had said that he liked Ginny's pointy face. And that her hair caught the light and attracted attention. And that Cho was so pale and dignified (before all the sobbing). And _Fleur_ and _Parvati_. And...

_Oh sweet Merlin is right, Ron. _

Harry was startled out of his impending panic by something flying through the sky. Pig was attempting to fly towards the Owlery but was failing miserably due to the broomstick he was clutching. As the owl descended rapidly Harry pushed aside his feelings of doom and flew downstairs to try to retrieve the owl and his broom before any serious damage was done. He pounded out of the doors of the school and toward the mass on the ground that was his broom and it's carrier.

The owl was hooting pitifully, but did not look harmed. Seeing Harry Pig took off for the Owlery, making a horrible screeching sound. His broom didn't look any worse for the wear either. In fact, It looked almost as good as new, with the handle sparkling and the broom bristles uniform.

Harry hear footsteps behind him and turned. Draco Malfoy reached the spot where Harry was standing, panting and out of breath.

"What are you doing here?" Harry tried to keep his voice from reaching an unfortunate octave. He wasn't sure he succeeded, however, because Malfoy winced.

"I was worried about your friend's bird. He didn't seem like he could carry the weight."

"Then why did you give him the broom?"

"You told me to send it, and you seemed mad, so-"

"A year ago you would have given anything to make me mad. And you would have gloated about it to your friends. What's so different now?" Harry was not feeling hope. There was no hope at all. Whatsoever. Draco Malfoy could not care about him or his things. This was a nefarious plot. Obviously.

Draco shook his head. "I told you, I thought things through. I'm trying to be nice. And then you start acting like a prat-"

"I'm acting like a prat?"

"And then I start acting like a prat," Malfoy yelled over Harry's yelling. "And it gets all messed up so here."

He shoved some paper in Harry's hands. "Those are the letter I wrote you." He whispered.

Harry started to look through them. "Not now, you prat! Wait till I'm gone, I can't stand the humiliation." Draco huffed and started to walk off.

"Wait, wait. You can't just leave." Harry started to jog after him.

"Yes I can!" He picked up his pace.

Harry did too. "You can't run away from me!"

"Yes I can!" Draco took off running.

Harry caught up with him quickly and grabbed his arm. "Hold on. Just stay here, and I'll read these, and then we can talk. Okay?"

"No." came the sulky reply.

Harry started anyway. He was quiet as he read the first letter. "Well," he tried to say it gently, "You didn't send it, but it would have been easier if you had."

He got a silent glare in reply. He started on the second letter, but only skimmed it. "This was the letter you sent me before."

"I know that _Potter_. I'm not the stupid one."

"I'm not stupid!" Harry retorted.

"Oh, just read the next letter, Potter. This is important."

Harry matched Draco's glare and moved on to the third letter. _Wait..._Harry kept reading. It almost seemed like Malfoy cared if he died or not. Maybe he did care. Maybe he cared in the way Harry _did not hope at all don't be stupid shut up. _

He moved on to the fourth letter, trying to ignore that rapidly more definite feeling. Malfoy laughed, and it almost didn't sound scornful. Harry looked up and was struck again by how grey his eyes were. They were really almost kind.

"Let's skip to the most ridiculous part, shall we Potter?" Draco took the last piece of paper from Harry's hands.

Harry was not exactly sure he wasn't suddenly paralyzed. This must be part of the nefarious plot, he thought dazedly. Malfoy's pretty (_pretty_?) eyes were definitely part of this plot of nefariousness.

"Because I realized why I've been so worried about you, and why I've always wanted your approval, and why I hated Crabbe for trying to hurt you and your friends. And it's not because I'm madly in love with boy Weasley." Draco read from the last piece of parchment.

"Are you surprised, Potter? Can you guess who I'm in love with?" He stared intently at Harry.

Harry was suddenly had the use of his brain and all of his limbs. Draco folded the piece of parchment carefully and pressed it into Harry's hand.

The hand stayed with Harry's, and Harry found the will to speak. "This," he said clearly, "is a nefarious plot. You don't...you don't care."

Malfoy looked offended. "Yes I do Potter! Don't be absurd!"

Harry shook his head to give himself something else to do instead of staring at the nefarious plot eyes of prettiness (he was of course doomed if he kept thinking they were pretty).

"No. Not in the way I want. You just want to be friends. How," He remembered what Hermione said and thought he could try to ground them both in some reason. "how am I supposed to find my future romantic prospect and continue on my road to happiness when you are trying to trap me in this evil way?"

"Have you not been listening to a word I've said, Potter?" Malfoy exploded with rage.

He pointed at the paper in Harry's hand. "Read it! Stop being an idiot and read it." Harry unfolded the paper and began to read.

"I've wanted a truce all this time and-"

"Shh." Harry shushed him and continued reading.

That light feeling was returning. It began to dawn on him that he might have been quite stupid. When Harry finished the letter he jerked his head up to meet Draco's eyes. Draco smiled in the most becoming way, and Harry could tell that this time there was no evil, ferrety plot that he would unwittingly be a part of.

"Oh."


End file.
